Lighting fixture



Feb. 19, 1929.

T. V. BALCH LIGHTING FIXTURE Inventor Thomas Vickr'oy Balch, By w 71./ @WM Attorney.

Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. y

THOMAS VIOKROY BALCH, 0F MAMABONECK, NEW YORK.

LIGHTING FIXTURE.

Application filed Harel! 15, 1927. Serial No. 175,477.

further desirable for good appearance and for convenience in installing and for completing the electrical connections that the upper portion of the rod should be covered by a canopy the upper rim of which is against the ceiling and spans the opening to the outlets box which lies within the ceiling. The canopy also provides space for the connections between the conductors from the outlet-box and the conductors from the fixture and for a switch which may be operated by a cord led through the side of the canopy. As the operation of such a cord puts a strain on the canopy a firm support is necessary @for the canopy and the'construction `should be 'such' that it canbe dropped down the rod to permit of access to the conductors for they purpose of making connections and also for clear access to the ceiling for painting or washing and to be able to do this without detaching the fixture from the outlet-box.

The object of this invention is to provide a lighting fixture which has these desirable features. .l

In the accompanying sheet of drawings which forms a part of this description,

Figure 1 is a lvertical section through a lighting fixture which embodies this invention. i Y

Figure 2 is a vertical section through a portion of a fixture of modified form.

Referring to Figure 1, an outlet-box 5 is embedded in the ceiling. As such boxes are usually installed they are noticeably out of level. Rigidly attached to this box is a fixture stud 6, to the fixture stud an extension stud 7 to the extension stud a hickey 8, and to the hickeythe upper section 9 of a tubular rod. These if machined true will deviate from the vertical to the extent that the outletbox deviates from level. To correct this a non-swivelin universally flexible joint is introduced in t e tubular rod. This is preferabl but not necessarily of the ball-andsoc et type, and is substantially hemispheri'- cal. To the Ilower end of the upper section of the tubular rod is screwed the upper inem-4 ber 10 of a ball-and-socket joint, in this case the socket. threaded and the parts which carry the socket from the outlet-box are of such length that the threaded portion will be in position for engagement by`a screw-collar 11 which serves as a keeper to support and bring a canopy 12 to a bearing against the ceiling whether or not the part of the ceiling against which the upper rim of the canopy bears is level or is inclined in the same or in a different direction from the inclination of the outlet-box. The canop is of such form that inclination is not as notlceable as in the case of the tubular rod, and by rounding the edges of the screw-collar, its inclination, which will be the same as that -of the outlet-box, may be rendered unnoticeable. The lower member 13 of the ball-andsocket joint, in this case the ball, has a slot "in one side which is engaged by a pin 14 so that the joint will be non-swiveling. The ball has a stem which screws into the upper end of the lower section 15 of the tubular rod. This section can therefore assume a truly vertical direction by gravity. It carries at its lower end the socket 16 for a lamp bulb and any other sup orts which may be required for a shade, a re ector or ornamentation. Conductors 17, 17 lead from the lamp socket up through the tubular rod and out at the hickey, and are connected to other conductors 18, 18 which terminate at the outlet-box either-directly or through a switch 19. Since the balland-socket is substantially hemispherical the assageway for the conductors in one section ies below the center of curvature of the joint and the passageway for the conductors in the Vother section lies above the center of curva- The outside of the socket is ture of the joint and therefore bending at the joint flexes the conductors at the center of curvature and doesnot operate to shear them off. Y

In theform shown in Figure 2 the ball 20 is the upper member of the ball-and-socket enough to pass freely over the ball-andsocket joint. The joint is located as near to the lower mouth of the canopy as possible, but below it suliiciently to permit support of the canopy from above the joint and from the rigidly "supported upper section of the tubular rod. The canopy and its lsupporting' collar must therefore be able to pass over the joint to be lowered suiliciently for convenient access in making the connections and forv painting or washing the ceiling.

l. A pendant lighting fixture consisting of a tubular rod in two sections, a non-swiveling enclosed universally flexible substantially heniispherical ball-and-socket joint connectingthe sections in which both sections and the joint provide a central passageway for the conductors in'one section lying below the center of curvature of the joint and the passageway for the conductors in the other section lylng above the center of curvature of the joint, a ceiling outlet box, means for rigidly supporting the upper section of the rod from the outlet box with the upper end of the upper section of the rod in free 'communication with the box for leading out the ends of the conductors, a canopy and a keeper for supporting the canopy which is adapted to pass over the joint.

2. A pendant lighting fixture consisting of a tubular rod in two sections, a non-swiveling enclosed universally flexible substantially hemispherical balljand-socket joint connecting the sections in which both Sections and the joint provide a central passageway for the conductors in one section lying below the center of curvature of the joint and the passageway for the conductors in the other section lying above the center of curvature of the joint, a ceiling'outlet box, means for rigidly supporting the upper section of the rod from the outlet box with the upper end of the upper section of the rod `in free cornmunicatlon with the box for leading out the ends of the conductors, a canopy and a screwcollar for supporting the canopy which is adapted to pass over the joint, and a threaded part for receiving the screw-collar-which is supported from the section of the rod above the joint. i

3. A pendant lighting fixture consisting of a tubular rod in two sections, a non-swiveling enclosed universally flexible substantially hemispherical ball-and-socketjoint connecting the sections in which both sections and the -joint provide a central passageway for the conductors in one section lying below the center of curvature of the joint and the passageway for the conductors in the other section lying above the center of curvature of the joint, a ceiling outlet box, means for rigidly supporting the upper section of the rod from'the outlet box with the upper end of the upper section of the rod in free comxnunicatlon with the box for leading out the ends of the conductors, a canopy and a screw collar for supporting the canopy which is adapted to pass over the joint, and a threaded nipple for receivinfr the screw-collar which is an integral part ol? the upper section of the joint.

THOMAS VICKROY BALCH. 

